7. Fans will make sweeping judgements based on one poor performance.

Are you suggesting this is Smith's only poor performance since his return from RU?

Do you really think Peacock will improve as he gets older?

I have mentioned Hardaker's inability to pass to his winger more than once this season

Leeds were very poor but that cannot used to hide some fundamental issues

8. Some fans have their head in the sand

Can you name a team that has?


Tosh. Rugby League is a game. Nothing more. I think the Leeds greats you mention would agree wholeheartedly with an attempt by relatively highly paid people to make a small effort to help some of the poorest people in the world and in this country.
There's something wrong if you're taking sport so seriously.

On a related note, it's now the second time this season I've seen on MOTD a fully grown adult in the crowd literally crying because their team lost a league game. Seriously, what's wrong with these people?

I did indeed and the online bookie kindly donated £25 into my account as a result

Leeds had a big opportunity to drive a huge nail into Saints 2012 seasons coffin but never got off the bus. Could I ask SS posters if they feel the game would have turned out differently if the first penalty we gave away would have been given as a scrum to us us "knock on loose carry"? I have seen them given that way. Or would we still have capitulated?

its entertainment - end of

Personally thought it could have been given as a loose carry, seen similar given as that but no don't think it would have changed much we still would have lost

I think a lot of the Senior players need to take a long hard look at themselves if they can't get it right how do you expect the lesser experienced ones to step up.

Ref him.
I have nothing against raising money for charity,but there are numerous other ways of raising money, sponsored walks etc.
I just thought we lacked dignity, perhaps thats why we played poorly.

I just cannot see any connection with having dyed hair and playing poor

I thought Smith was out of his depth tonight at times he look as if he was walking the kick return back but tonight wasn't his fault.

Collectively we were poor and the absence of McGuire and Webb hit us a lot harder than expected.

Also McShane didn't do his career development any favours.

I think when the player you'd put money on the most to take a high ball got outjumped in the first 5 minutes, it didn't bode well for the rest of the match.

I think smith is a poor shadow of his former self.

When would a player ever get 'better' into his mid 30s, Leeds will have plenty
of options at prop in the coming years and I don't think it's a bad decision at all, certainly given everything he has given to the club and his determined
nature.

Hardacre has been playing full time 12 months and at centre for 5 minutes.

Every team has areas to improve, the damning tone of some posts after a defeat is so predictable though.

I don't need to get my head out of the sand, I call the game as I see it and my backside doesn't get twitchy, I also enjoy seeing Leeds perform well/win
but it really doesnt upset me if they don't, it's sport.

Smith and McShane were abysmal we really missed Burrow at 9 and with hindsight perhaps we should have started Ward at scrum half.

Poor performance, that highlights some of the weaknesses we have in the team / squad, but no one died.

I agree with Sal that Smith looks done at this level, and frankly has since the return from RU, so it's not a snap judgement. McShane still has the weaknesses in his defensive technique evident for the whole period he has been in the first team. Our pack was totally dominated tonight and looked passive which is a poor attribute to have in the forwards. Without Webb and McGuire we were always likely to struggle if the forwards didn't get over the top of the Saints pack, which makes it even more mystifying why they gave up so easily. Also as well as occasionally giving Hall the ball, Hardaker needs to develop some other tricks other than the step off his left foot, or he will become very easy to read, elusive runner that he is.

We have a number of good players to come back into the team, so we don't need to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but it's fair to say the coaching team will have to earn their corn in the next week as Hudds will be up for it on Friday.